Volunteering at Paccar

Why do people volunteer?

There are many reasons why people choose to get involved. Here are just a few: • to make a difference to vulnerable young people • to do something inspiring • to learn skills and improve their CVs • to meet new people.

Who can volunteer?

There’s an opportunity for almost everyone who shares our values and vision! We are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for everyone who volunteers with us. We have volunteers who are former service users, students, retired, unemployed, employed, disabled, non-disabled, old and young, from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds. We aim to find a volunteering role to suit the individual, and we screen all our volunteers who will have contact with children.

Do you offer training to volunteers?

We want to provide the best service we can to our users. For those volunteers coming into contact with children we provide a high level of support and training. We also provide induction training to ensure that volunteers are able to carry out their tasks in a safe way. We ensure there is someone available if you need additional help and there is often further training to help volunteers develop in their role.

What will I get out of volunteering?

It depends on what motivates you. Volunteering with Paccar Scout Camp will mean you are making a difference (directly or indirectly) to the children and young people we work with. You could also benefit from helping or supporting other people, using existing skills or learning new ones, gaining confidence, being creative, responding to challenges, and being with other people. You may feel satisfaction from playing a positive role in someone else’s life. If you’re looking for work, you will gain valuable experience for your CV. Above all else we want our volunteers to have fun and enjoy their experience.

How much time do I have to give?

As much as you want. You can tell us what you can do and when you can do it and we will help you find a volunteer role which is suitable. Some roles, especially those working with Service Crews need volunteers who will aim to be available on a long term basis. Other roles have a minimum time commitment of a few hours per week. Some people volunteer for a couple of hours a week, others help out at one-off events or during school holidays.

What skills do I need to volunteer?

This will depend on what you do. If you don’t have the skills needed, where possible, we’ll help you develop them. Often, enthusiasm, the ability to smile and encourage are the most important skills required.

Disclosure checks

To ensure we safeguard and protect the children we work with, we have a number of checks before recruiting. We are entitled to ask questions about a volunteer’s entire criminal record because it is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Having a criminal record does not necessarily bar someone from volunteering. It depends on the nature of the position applied for, and the circumstances and background of the offences. We will ask for your consent to a clearance check. Any information supplied will be treated in confidence and in accordance with the Data Protection Act. You do not have to agree to these checks but objecting could affect your recruitment. You will be asked to undergo a check via the Criminal Records Bureau (England and Wales) this will be an Enhanced Disclosure.

If you are interested in any of the above, please contact us for further information and an informal chat and we’ll see how we can help each other. Paccar is certainly a fantastic place to volunteer; out in the countryside, blue skies, trees, plenty of wildlife and colleagues who are friendly with a good sense of humour, nothing could be a finer way of spending your spare time.